In a statement issued in Lagos on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, the party said if Mr. Ekweremadu had leveraged his high office to get the necessary information from those involved in the Boko Haram fight, especially the Nigerian military, he would not have made the kind of partisan and incautious comments attributed to him – and which he has not denied.
It said the truth of the matter is that Boko Haram, having been uprooted from its hideouts and put on the run, has become very desperate, hence it is now using its last arsenal to inflict as much damage as it can before it is annihilated, which is just a matter of time.
”Lone wolf suicide bombings and the choice of soft targets by retreating gunmen are now the order of the day, as against the terrorists’ previous coordinated actions of seizing and holding territories,” APC said.
The party said contrary to what Senator Ekweremadu said, the terrorists have been weakened by the more methodical and focused approach of the present Administration to the anti-terror fight, which includes the tightening of security at border locations that has made it difficult for the terrorists to manoeuvre. This approach is a far cry from the previous haphazard activities, the APC said.
It said the necessary structures for the effective coordination of the battle against the terrorists have been put in place both within and outside the country, thanks to the regional rallying efforts of the Buhari Administration.
”Now, due to the government’s broad consultations, vital international input and support have become more real and are adding value to the counter-terrorism campaign. With the Nigeria-led Multi-National Joint Task Force due to be deployed by month’s end, it is a matter of time for Boko Haram to be defeated. This monster cannot and will not survive.
”Against this background of a more purposeful and coordinated approach to the Boko Haram battle, Nigerians are assured that the senseless killings and maiming that have characterized one of the most brutal terrorist campaigns ever will soon be over. Nigerians, not least those who should know better, should therefore refrain from making comments that can only serve to create panic rather than alleviate the situation,” APC said.
I NEVER SAID SO...EKWEREMADU
Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu explained yesterday that contrary to report, he never said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has worsened Boko Haram insurgency in the country.
He however warned that challenges like terrorism and insurgency, which have wasted lives and property of innocent Nigerians and many of our loved ones are beyond politics and should therefore not be trivalised on the alter of narrow political interest.
In a statement by his Special Adviser, Media, Uche Anichukwu and titled, “The Challenge of Insurgency is beyond Partisanship,” he said, “The attention of the Office of the Deputy President of the Senate has been drawn to the attempt to misrepresent and sensationalise an innocuous call by Senator Ike Ekweremadu to Nigerians to pray for and rally round the Federal Government to win the war against insurgency.
“Specifically, the Deputy President of the Senate was reported by two national dailies as stating that the President Muhammadu Buhari Administration has worsened insurgency.
“Whereas Senator Ekweremadu expressed concerns over the resurgence of Boko Haram attacks in parts of the country, at no time did he try to blame it on the present administration. It is instead on record that he not only commended the efforts of the present administration, especially in building international support and synergy to tackle the monstrous group, but he also called for greater inter-party, intergovernmental, and international collaboration to address the problem.
“It is instructive that his patriotic comments were well captured by many electronic and print media. They include: “Boko Haram: Ekweremadu Seeks Support for Buhari” (Leadership, Friday, July 10, 2015) and “Boko Haram: US Pledges Deepened Support for Nigeria… Ekweremadu rallies Support for Buhari” (New Telegraph, Friday, July 10, 2015).
“The fact that out of the 75-man Senate Press Corps, representing various media houses, which were present at the function, only one medium sensationally skewed its statement out of context, while a second medium copied the same story without a byline (name of reporter), tells the whole story of a devious intent.
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